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USCar Trader import service
Choose a specific vehicle. Where data is available, its detail page shows the import cost calculation. We assess any possible duty benefit with you before purchase.
Important: A 0% EU import-duty rate may be available for a vehicle covered by Regulation (EU) 2026/1455 that has US origin and is imported directly into the EU. CETA may apply to a vehicle with preferential Canadian origin. Whether the requirements are met is assessed for the individual case. Please contact us before purchase; we review the possible duty benefit and provide non-binding support through the process. Import VAT and other costs are assessed separately.
CarHub · Honda
The Ridgeline is Honda's unconventional take on the mid-size pickup: a unibody truck that drives like a large SUV while still offering a proper open bed.
Model profile
The first-generation Ridgeline (2006–2014) introduced the concept: a car-based pickup with a distinctive flying-buttress C-pillar, a dual-action tailgate that swings and drops, and a lockable, weatherproof in-bed trunk under the load floor.
Powertrain and equipment
The Ridgeline has always used a single engine: Honda's 3.5-litre J35 V6. In the first generation it produced around 250 hp; the second generation raised that to roughly 280 hp. Early second-gen trucks paired the V6 with a six-speed automatic, later switching to a nine-speed automatic.
The Ridgeline comes in one configuration — a four-door crew cab with a five-foot bed. US trims run from Sport and RTL through RTL-E to the top Black Edition, with off-road-flavoured TrailSport and RTL trims appearing on later years.
Vehicle selection
Supply is steady rather than vast — the Ridgeline is a niche seller against the Tacoma and Colorado, but that also means clean, well-cared-for examples are common because owners tend to use them as comfortable daily trucks rather than work abusers.
A used Ridgeline from the USA is for the buyer who wants a comfortable, car-like pickup with a usable bed, a lockable in-bed trunk and all-weather traction, without the compromises of a ladder-frame truck.
Vehicle data
| Body style | Typical figure (US-market): Four-door crew-cab pickup, unibody |
|---|---|
| Bed length | Typical figure (US-market): approx. 1.5 m (5 ft) |
| Length | Typical figure (US-market): approx. 5,335 mm (gen 2) |
| Seating | Typical figure (US-market): 5 |
| Engine | Typical figure (US-market): 3.5 L J35 V6 (petrol) |
|---|---|
| Power | Typical figure (US-market): approx. 250 hp (gen 1) / 280 hp (gen 2) |
| Transmission | Typical figure (US-market): 5/6-speed auto (gen 1), 6- or 9-speed auto (gen 2) |
| Drivetrain | Typical figure (US-market): AWD (i-VTM4 torque vectoring, later years) |
| Fuel | Typical figure (US-market): Petrol |
| Generations imported | Typical figure (US-market): 1st gen (2006–2014), 2nd gen (2017–) |
|---|---|
| Assembly plant | Typical figure (US-market): Lincoln, Alabama, USA |
| Special features | Typical figure (US-market): In-bed trunk, dual-action tailgate |
| Origin | The assessment depends on the specific vehicle and the circumstances of the transaction. Please contact USCar Trader before purchase; we review any possible duty benefit and provide non-binding support. Import VAT and other costs are considered separately. |
Values are reproduced verbatim from the existing article table. The documents for the specific vehicle govern.
Pre-purchase review
For the Honda Ridgeline, the agreed inspection plan focuses in particular on frame, underbody, towing or payload modifications, visible corrosion and records of previous use. USCar Trader can document these points through a separately commissioned on-site inspection; inaccessible areas or unauthorised road tests are explicitly recorded as unchecked.
Germany and Europe
US Ridgelines use amber front markers, red rear turn signals, mph instrumentation and no rear fog lamp — all points the TÜV examiner will expect corrected.
US-market headlights use the FMVSS/SAE beam pattern, which differs from the ECE pattern required in the EU, so they may need adjustment or replacement with ECE-compliant units for registration.
USCar Trader services
As a buyer based in Germany, you do not have to inspect the vehicle yourself in the United States or Canada. Within the agreed scope, USCar Trader can coordinate document review, a separately commissioned on-site inspection and purchase processing.
Covered inspection points are agreed in advance. An on-site inspection records condition at the appointment and is not a guarantee.
Next step: Before commissioning, USCar Trader and the customer agree which document, history, inspection and transaction checks suit the vehicle and are included in the service. This records what was actually checked.
Import process
Start by selecting the generation and trim you want and shortlisting clean trucks.
Questions and answers
No, not automatically. A 0% EU import-duty rate may be available for a vehicle covered by Regulation (EU) 2026/1455 that has US origin and is imported directly into the EU. CETA may apply to a vehicle with preferential Canadian origin. Whether the requirements are met is assessed for the individual case. Please contact USCar Trader before purchase; we review the possible duty benefit and provide non-binding support. Import VAT and other costs are assessed separately.
Around 2,270 kg (5,000 lb) when properly equipped — respectable for the class, though less than heavy body-on-frame trucks.
Yes, notably so for a pickup, thanks to the proven J35 V6. Watch oil consumption from VCM and keep up with timing-belt service.
It is a lockable, weatherproof storage well under the bed floor — handy for tools, luggage or, famously, ice and drinks with its drain plug.
The second generation is more refined, more powerful and better equipped; the first generation is cheaper and has cult appeal. Both use the same durable V6.
That depends on how it is classified at registration, which affects tax and insurance. It is worth clarifying before import for your intended use.
The i-VTM4 all-wheel-drive system with terrain modes copes well with snow, mud and light off-road use, though it is not a low-range rock-crawler.
Generally a few weeks of transit plus the time for customs, TÜV and registration once it arrives.
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